Clean beauty is the newest craze. But what exactly is it? Well, the clean beauty trend means different things to different people. There is not one set definition to follow. As a beauty pro, you need to be able to understand and cover all of your clients' clean beauty requests. For example, they might be looking for clean hair products free of sulfates, parabens and phthalates. Others want clean skincare with certified organic ingredients or vegan formulas. Clean beauty nail polish produced in sustainable, cruelty-free and non-toxic ways? Check!  And some clients may even be more inclined to buy products with environmentally-sustainable packaging.

Regardless of whether your clients are looking for gluten-free, organic or fragrance-free products, or they want to ensure their clean shampoo brands have not been tested on animals, you’ll want to be able to satisfy their need for next-gen brands that still deliver on quality.

Understanding Different Labels for Clean Beauty

One of the most universal clean beauty trends is vegan products - products with no animal-based or animal-derived ingredients. Beeswax would not be considered vegan, nor would glycerin, which can come from animal fat, or lanolin, which comes from wool-bearing animals like sheep.

Plant-based beauty products are similar to vegan products, since both are formulated primarily with natural ingredients derived from plants. However, the emphasis is different in these products. Buyers looking for plant-based beauty products are often concerned about the presence of synthetic ingredients and will sometimes accept small amounts of animal-derived ingredients.

Cruelty-free products are products that involve no testing on animals. Increasingly, the term is beginning to encompass a firm’s business practices, especially with respect to whether the company treats its workers, employees and partners fairly. This concept is also sometimes described as “fair trade.”

Beauty products might also be described as “all-natural” (although this is becoming less common because of the vagueness of the term), “gluten-free,” “hypo-allergenic,” “organic,” or “environmentally friendly” (or environmentally conscious/sustainable). Clean skincare brands, clean nail polishes and clean ingredient shampoos may also advertise recycled packaging and other environmental benefits.

What ties all these labels together is the common concern that products and companies should not cause harm to the environment, animals or people.

 

What are “Vegan” Beauty Products?

Vegan shampoo and conditioners do not contain any animal sources of biotin, gelatin, keratin and silk powder. Vegan hair dyes do not contain animal sources of squalene or vitamin A. Vegan nail polishes won’t contain animal sources of guanine, carmine or oleic acid.

Looking for high-quality vegan hair products, nail polishes and waxing products? Check out some of our favorites:

China Glaze Nail Lacquer
 

Punky Colour
 

Abba Hair Care
 

OPI Nature Strong
 

GiGi Wax
 

What are “Plant-Based” Beauty Products?

Plant-based hair products, including shampoos, conditioners and hair dyes, have become a lot easier to find. These products frequently contain ingredients like essential and natural oils, organic teas, vitamin E, fruit extracts and aloe vera.

Here are a few of our favorite plant-based shampoos and conditioners, plant-based hair dyes and other plant-based products:

Bain De Terre Shampoo and Conditioner
 

Biomega

OPI Nature Strong
 

Cuccio Massage Oil

Eco Glaze Nail Lacquer

What are “Cruelty-Free” Beauty Products?

Accurately-labeled cruelty-free shampoos and conditioners, nail polishes, haircolor and other beauty products are not tested on animals at any point during the production process. Frequently, clients looking for cruelty-free hair products, nail polishes and skin care products are also looking for vegan formulations that contain no ingredients derived from animals.

At Marlo Beauty, we offer a variety of cruelty-free nail polishes, hair dyes, heat protectants and other products. Here are some of our favorites:

Rusk in 10 Permanent Cream Color

China Glaze Nail Lacquer
 

Ardell Professional

Punky Colour
 

One ‘N Only Powder Color

Clean Nail Polish

Clean beauty manicures have become increasing popular. When your clients talk about clean nail polish, it’s important to recognize that they’re probably referring to non-toxic products, both with respect to themselves and the environment. They might use words like “sustainable,” “environmentally friendly” or “safe.”

At a minimum, your nail lacquers should be “3 free,” meaning they are free of formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate. Most nail polishes these days will meet this criteria. Clients who want to take it one step further will also want to avoid polishes with formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens and acetone. Products that are free of these ingredients will also be labeled as “5 free”, “7 free” and “9 free”.

Two standout nail polish options are China Glaze Nail Lacquer, which is 7 free and OPI Nature Strong which is 9 free.
 

Clean Beauty Ingredients to Look For

Don't be afraid to ask for specifics if you get clean beauty requests. Your clients’ requirements will likely differ depending on whether they’re looking for a vegan product or a non-toxic product. For example, beeswax would be considered “clean” as a non-toxic product but it is not vegan.

It’s also important not to automatically rule out synthetic chemicals as clean beauty ingredients. Synthetic (or man-made) ingredients are sometimes “cleaner” than their natural counterparts and shouldn’t necessarily be avoided.
 

The rise in clean beauty products allows clients to have transparency and choice in what they’re purchasing. Between cruelty-free, non-toxic, vegan or plant-based products, it’s important to recognize the clean beauty trend and be able to provide options for your clients. Marlo Beauty offers a variety of clean beauty products to stock your shelves.